Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub that defines a wash chamber. Rack assemblies can be mounted within the wash chamber of the tub for receipt of articles for washing. Wash fluid (e.g., various combinations of water and detergent along with optional additives) may be introduced into the tub where it collects in a sump space at the bottom of the wash chamber. During wash and rinse cycles, a pump may be used to circulate wash fluid to spray assemblies within the wash chamber that can apply or direct wash fluid towards articles disposed within the rack assemblies in order to clean such articles. During a drain cycle, a pump may periodically discharge soiled wash fluid that collects in the sump space and the process may be repeated.
Conventional dishwasher appliances include slide assemblies for supporting one or upper racks within the wash chamber. These slide assemblies permit a user to slide the upper racks out of the wash chamber for emptying and loading dishes and back into the wash chamber for running a wash cycle. Similarly, typical racks are slidable into and out of the wash chamber between cycles for removing and loading dishes, but rely on roller assemblies to achieve such movement. Particularly, carrier roller assemblies are typically mounted to the rack and include a plurality of rollers that roll along the dishwasher door which opens to a horizontal position. Notably, however, conventional carrier roller assemblies are formed from many parts, require different mold parts for the left and right sides of the rack, and are unable to accommodate racks formed from wires having different sizes. As a result, manufacturing complexity is increased, part procurement and storage is complicated, and appliance assembly is complex and costly.
Accordingly, a dishwasher appliance that utilizes an improved carrier roller assembly would be useful. More specifically, a carrier roller assembly that is simple to assemble, versatile, and may be universally used with different wash racks having different wire diameters and on the left and right side of the racks in different model dishwashers would be particularly beneficial.